Power distance between judges and witnesses and judicial innovations : preliminary innovation ideas from theoretical and empirical research

The aim of the paper is to outline a new original approach to judicial innovations, in comparison to the previous conceptualizations or actual innovation agendas. The proposed approach flows from larger theoretical and empirical project concerned with the reconceptualized, in comparison to Geert Hofstede’s, understanding of power distance and its application to courtroom interactions, especially between judges and witnesses. First, the paper carefully clarifies the underlying reconceptualized power distance and empirical research based on it, focused on judge-witness courtroom interactions. Subsequently, the proposed conceptualization of judicial innovations is presented, its assumptions explained and particular examples provided. Against the background of other judicial innovations studies and agendas, it is argued that this proposal is not only much more theoretically and conceptually clear, but, even more importantly, much more practical, in a sense that it significantly widens perspective on the possible advancements in judicial systems and helps in generating innovation ideas.